1ΚατὰG2596{PREP} τὸνG3588{T-ASM} λόγονG3056{N-ASM} ΕφραιμG2187{N-PRI} δικαιώματαG1345{N-APN} αὐτὸςG846{D-NSM} ἔλαβενG2983{V-AAI-3S} ἐνG1722{PREP} τῷG3588{T-DSM} ΙσραηλG2474{N-PRI} καὶG2532{CONJ} ἔθετοG5087{V-ANI-3S} αὐτὰG846{D-APN} τῇG3588{T-DSF} ΒααλG896{N-PRI} καὶG2532{CONJ} ἀπέθανενG599{V-AAI-3S}. 2καὶG2532{CONJ} προσέθετοG4369{V-ANI-3S} τοῦG3588{T-GSN} ἁμαρτάνεινG264{V-PAN} ἔτιG2089{ADV}, καὶG2532{CONJ} ἐποίησανG4160{V-AAI-3P} ἑαυτοῖςG1438{D-DPM} χώνευμα{N-ASN} ἐκG1537{PREP} τοῦG3588{T-GSN} ἀργυρίουG694{N-GSN} αὐτῶνG846{D-GPM} κατ᾽G2596{PREP} εἰκόναG1504{N-ASF} εἰδώλωνG1497{N-GPN}, ἔργαG2041{N-APN} τεκτόνωνG5045{N-GPM} συντετελεσμέναG4931{V-RPPAP} αὐτοῖςG846{D-DPM}· αὐτοὶG846{D-NPM} λέγουσινG3004{V-PAI-3P} ΘύσατεG2380{V-AAD-2P} ἀνθρώπουςG444{N-APM}, μόσχοιG3448{N-NPM} γὰρG1063{PRT} ἐκλελοίπασινG1587{V-RAI-3P}. 3διὰG1223{PREP} τοῦτοG3778{D-ASN} ἔσονταιG1510{V-FMI-3P} ὡςG3739{CONJ} νεφέληG3507{N-NSF} πρωινὴG4407{A-NSF} καὶG2532{CONJ} ὡςG3739{CONJ} δρόσος{N-NSF} ὀρθρινὴG3720{A-NSF} πορευομένηG4198{V-PMPNS}, ὥσπερG3746{ADV} χνοῦςG5522{N-NSM} ἀποφυσώμενος{V-PMPNS} ἀφ᾽G575{PREP} ἅλωνοςG257{N-GSF} καὶG2532{CONJ} ὡςG3739{CONJ} ἀτμὶςG822{N-NSF} ἀπὸG575{PREP} ἀκρίδωνG200{N-GPF}. 4ἐγὼG1473{P-NS} δὲG1161{PRT} יהוהH3068{N-NSM} ὁG3588{T-NSM} θεόςG2316{N-NSM} σουG4771{P-GS} στερεῶνG4732{V-PAPNS} οὐρανὸνG3772{N-ASM} καὶG2532{CONJ} κτίζωνG2936{V-PAPNS} γῆνG1065{N-ASF}, οὗG3739{R-GSM} αἱG3588{T-NPF} χεῖρεςG5495{N-NPF} ἔκτισανG2936{V-AAI-3P} πᾶσανG3956{A-ASF} τὴνG3588{T-ASF} στρατιὰνG4756{N-ASF} τοῦG3588{T-GSM} οὐρανοῦG3772{N-GSM}, καὶG2532{CONJ} οὐG3364{ADV} παρέδειξά{V-AAI-1S} σοιG4771{P-DS} αὐτὰG846{D-APN} τοῦG3588{T-GSN} πορεύεσθαιG4198{V-PMN} ὀπίσωG3694{PREP} αὐτῶνG846{D-GPM}· καὶG2532{CONJ} ἐγὼG1473{P-NS} ἀνήγαγόνG321{V-AAI-1S} σεG4771{P-AS} ἐκG1537{PREP} γῆςG1065{N-GSF} ΑἰγύπτουG125{N-GSF}, καὶG2532{CONJ} θεὸνG2316{N-ASM} πλὴνG4133{PREP} ἐμοῦG1473{P-GS} οὐG3364{ADV} γνώσῃG1097{V-FMI-2S}, καὶG2532{CONJ} σῴζωνG4982{V-PAPNS} οὐκG3364{ADV} ἔστινG1510{V-PAI-3S} πάρεξ{PREP} ἐμοῦG1473{P-GS}. 5ἐγὼG1473{P-NS} ἐποίμαινόνG4165{V-IAI-1S} σεG4771{P-AS} ἐνG1722{PREP} τῇG3588{T-DSF} ἐρήμῳG2048{N-DSF} ἐνG1722{PREP} γῇG1065{N-DSF} ἀοικήτῳ{A-DSF} 6κατὰG2596{PREP} τὰςG3588{T-APF} νομὰςG3542{N-APF} αὐτῶνG846{D-GPM}. καὶG2532{CONJ} ἐνεπλήσθησανG1705{V-API-3P} εἰςG1519{PREP} πλησμονήνG4140{N-ASF}, καὶG2532{CONJ} ὑψώθησανG5312{V-API-3P} αἱG3588{T-NPF} καρδίαιG2588{N-NPF} αὐτῶνG846{D-GPM}· ἕνεκαG1752{PREP} τούτουG3778{D-GSM} ἐπελάθοντόG1950{V-AMI-3P} μουG1473{P-GS}. 7καὶG2532{CONJ} ἔσομαιG1510{V-FMI-1S} αὐτοῖςG846{D-DPM} ὡςG3739{CONJ} πανθὴρ{N-NSM} καὶG2532{CONJ} ὡςG3739{CONJ} πάρδαλιςG3917{N-NSM} κατὰG2596{PREP} τὴνG3588{T-ASF} ὁδὸνG3598{N-ASF} Ἀσσυρίων{N-GPM}· 8ἀπαντήσομαιG528{V-FMI-1S} αὐτοῖςG846{D-DPM} ὡςG3739{CONJ} ἄρκοςG715{N-NSF} ἀπορουμένηG639{V-PMPNS} καὶG2532{CONJ} διαρρήξωG1284{V-FAI-1S} συγκλεισμὸν{N-ASM} καρδίαςG2588{N-GSF} αὐτῶνG846{D-GPM}, καὶG2532{CONJ} καταφάγονταιG2719{V-FMI-3P} αὐτοὺςG846{D-APM} ἐκεῖG1563{ADV} σκύμνοι{N-NPM} δρυμοῦ{N-GSM}, θηρίαG2342{N-NPN} ἀγροῦG68{N-GSM} διασπάσειG1288{V-FAI-3S} αὐτούςG846{D-APM}. 9τῇG3588{T-DSF} διαφθορᾷG1312{N-DSF} σουG4771{P-GS}, ΙσραηλG2474{N-PRI}, τίςG5100{I-NSM} βοηθήσειG997{V-FAI-3S}; 10ποῦG4225{ADV} ὁG3588{T-NSM} βασιλεύςG935{N-NSM} σουG4771{P-GS} οὗτοςG3778{D-NSM}; καὶG2532{CONJ} διασωσάτωG1295{V-AAD-3S} σεG4771{P-AS} ἐνG1722{PREP} πάσαιςG3956{A-DPF} ταῖςG3588{T-DPF} πόλεσίνG4172{N-DPF} σουG4771{P-GS}· κρινάτωG2919{V-AAD-3S} σεG4771{P-AS} ὃνG3739{R-ASM} εἶπαςG2036{V-AAI-2S} ΔόςG1325{V-AAD-2S} μοιG1473{P-DS} βασιλέαG935{N-ASM} καὶG2532{CONJ} ἄρχονταG758{N-ASM}. 11καὶG2532{CONJ} ἔδωκάG1325{V-AAI-1S} σοιG4771{P-DS} βασιλέαG935{N-ASM} ἐνG1722{PREP} ὀργῇG3709{N-DSF} μουG1473{P-GS} καὶG2532{CONJ} ἔσχονG2192{V-AAI-1S} ἐνG1722{PREP} τῷG3588{T-DSM} θυμῷG2372{N-DSM} μουG1473{P-GS} 12συστροφὴνG4963{N-ASF} ἀδικίαςG93{N-GSF}. ΕφραιμG2187{N-PRI}, ἐγκεκρυμμένηG1470{V-RMPNS} ἡG3588{T-NSF} ἁμαρτίαG266{N-NSF} αὐτοῦG846{D-GSM}. 13ὠδῖνεςG5604{N-NPF} ὡςG3739{CONJ} τικτούσηςG5088{V-PAPGS} ἥξουσινG1854{V-FAI-3P} αὐτῷG846{D-DSM}· οὗτοςG3778{D-NSM} ὁG3588{T-NSM} υἱόςG5207{N-NSM} σουG4771{P-GS} οὐG3364{ADV} φρόνιμοςG5429{A-NSM}, διότιG1360{CONJ} οὐG3364{ADV} μὴG3165{ADV} ὑποστῇ{V-AAS-3S} ἐνG1722{PREP} συντριβῇG4937{N-DSF} τέκνωνG5043{N-GPN}. 14ἐκG1537{PREP} χειρὸςG5495{N-GSF} ᾅδουG86{N-GSM} ῥύσομαιG4506{V-FMI-1S} αὐτοὺςG846{D-APM} καὶG2532{CONJ} ἐκG1537{PREP} θανάτουG2288{N-GSM} λυτρώσομαιG3084{V-FMI-1S} αὐτούςG846{D-APM}· ποῦG4225{ADV} ἡG3588{T-NSF} δίκηG1349{N-NSF} σουG4771{P-GS}, θάνατεG2288{N-VSM}; ποῦG4225{ADV} τὸG3588{T-NSN} κέντρονG2759{N-NSN} σουG4771{P-GS}, ᾅδηG86{N-VSM}; παράκλησιςG3874{N-NSF} κέκρυπταιG2928{V-RMI-3S} ἀπὸG575{PREP} ὀφθαλμῶνG3788{N-GPM} μουG1473{P-GS}. 15διότιG1360{CONJ} οὗτοςG3778{D-NSM} ἀνὰG303{PREP} μέσονG3319{A-ASN} ἀδελφῶνG80{N-GPM} διαστελεῖG1291{V-FAI-3S}. ἐπάξειG1863{V-FAI-3S} ἄνεμονG417{N-ASM} καύσωναG2742{N-ASM} יהוהH3068{N-NSM} ἐκG1537{PREP} τῆςG3588{T-GSF} ἐρήμουG2048{N-GSF} ἐπ᾽G1909{PREP} αὐτόνG846{D-ASM}, καὶG2532{CONJ} ἀναξηρανεῖ{V-FAI-3S} τὰςG3588{T-APF} φλέβας{N-APF} αὐτοῦG846{D-GSM}, ἐξερημώσει{V-FAI-3S} τὰςG3588{T-APF} πηγὰςG4077{N-APF} αὐτοῦG846{D-GSM}· αὐτὸςG846{D-NSM} καταξηρανεῖ{V-FAI-3S} τὴνG3588{T-ASF} γῆνG1065{N-ASF} αὐτοῦG846{D-GSM} καὶG2532{CONJ} πάνταG3956{A-APN} τὰG3588{T-APN} σκεύηG4632{N-APN} τὰG3588{T-APN} ἐπιθυμητὰ{A-APN} αὐτοῦG846{D-GSM}. 16ἀφανισθήσεταιG853{V-FPI-3S} ΣαμάρειαG4540{N-NSF}, ὅτιG3754{CONJ} ἀντέστηG436{V-AAI-3S} πρὸςG4314{PREP} τὸνG3588{T-ASM} θεὸνG2316{N-ASM} αὐτῆςG846{D-GSF}· ἐνG1722{PREP} ῥομφαίᾳG4501{N-DSF} πεσοῦνταιG4098{V-FMI-3P} αὐτοίG846{D-NPM}, καὶG2532{CONJ} τὰG3588{T-NPN} ὑποτίτθια{N-NPN} αὐτῶνG846{D-GPM} ἐδαφισθήσονταιG1474{V-FPI-3P}, καὶG2532{CONJ} αἱG3588{T-NPF} ἐνG1722{PREP} γαστρὶG1064{N-DSF} ἔχουσαιG2192{V-PAPNP} αὐτῶνG846{D-GPM} διαρραγήσονταιG1284{V-FPI-3P}.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 EPHRAIM'S SINFUL INGRATITUDE TO GOD, AND ITS FATAL CONSEQUENCE; GOD'S PROMISE AT LAST. (Hos. 13:1-16)
This chapter and the fourteenth chapter probably belong to the troubled times that followed Pekah's murder by Hoshea (compare
Hos 13:11;
2Kgs 15:30). The subject is the idolatry of Ephraim, notwithstanding God's past benefits, destined to be his ruin.
When Ephraim spake trembling--rather, "When Ephraim (the tribe most powerful among the twelve in Israel's early history) spake (authoritatively) there was trembling"; all reverentially feared him [JEROME], (compare
Job 29:8-
Job 29:9,
Job 29:21).
offended in Baal--that is, in respect to Baal, by worshipping him (
1Kgs 16:31), under Ahab; a more heinous offense than even the calves. Therefore it is at this climax of guilt that Ephraim "died." Sin has, in the sight of God, within itself the germ of death, though that death may not visibly take effect till long after. Compare
Rom 7:9, "Sin revived, and I died." So Adam in the day of his sin was to die, though the sentence was not visibly executed till long after (
Gen 2:17;
Gen 5:5). Israel is similarly represented as politically dead in Eze. 37:1-28.
2 according to their own understanding--that is, their arbitrary devising. Compare "will-worship,"
Col 2:23. Men are not to be "wise above that which is written," or to follow their own understanding, but God's command in worship.
kiss the calves--an act of adoration to the golden calves (compare
1Kgs 19:18;
Job 31:27;
Ps 2:12).
3 they shall be as the morning cloud . . . dew-- (
Hos 6:4). As their "goodness" soon vanished like the morning cloud and dew, so they shall perish like them.
the floor--the threshing-floor, generally an open area, on a height, exposed to the winds.
chimney--generally in the East an orifice in the wall, at once admitting the light, and giving egress to the smoke.
4 (
Hos 12:9;
Isa 43:11).
no saviour--temporal as well as spiritual.
besides me-- (
Isa 45:21).
5 I did know thee--did acknowledge thee as Mine, and so took care of thee (
Ps 144:3;
Amos 3:2). As I knew thee as Mine, so thou shouldest know no God but Me (
Hos 13:4).
in . . . land of . . . drought-- (
Deut 8:15).
6 Image from cattle, waxing wanton in abundant pasture (compare
Hos 2:5,
Hos 2:8;
Deut 32:13-
Deut 32:15). In proportion as I fed them to the full, they were so satiated that "their heart was exalted"; a sad contrast to the time when, by God's blessing, Ephraim truly "exalted himself in Israel" (
Hos 13:1).
therefore have they forgotten me--the very reason why men should remember God (namely, prosperity, which comes from Him) is the cause often of their forgetting Him. God had warned them of this danger (
Deut 6:11-
Deut 6:12).
7 (
Hos 5:14;
Lam 3:10).
leopard--The Hebrew comes from a root meaning "spotted" (compare
Jer 13:23). Leopards lurk in thickets and thence spring on their victims.
observe--that is, lie in wait for them. Several manuscripts, the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic read, by a slight change of the Hebrew vowel pointing, "by the way of Assyria," a region abounding in leopards and lions. English Version is better.
8 "Writers on the natures of beasts say that none is more savage than a she bear, when bereaved of her whelps" [JEROME].
caul of . . . heart--the membrane enclosing it: the pericardium.
there--"by the way" (
Hos 13:7).
9 thou . . . in me--in contrast.
hast destroyed thyself--that is, thy destruction is of thyself (
Pro 6:32;
Pro 8:36).
in me is thine help--literally, "in thine help" (compare
Deut 33:26). Hadst thou rested thy hope in Me, I would have been always ready at hand for thy help [GROTIUS].
10 I will be thy king; where--rather, as the Margin and the Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, "Where now is thy king?" [MAURER]. English Version is, however, favored both by the Hebrew, by the antithesis between Israel's self-chosen and perishing kings, and God, Israel's abiding King (compare
Hos 3:4-
Hos 3:5).
where . . . Give me a king--Where now is the king whom ye substituted in My stead? Neither Saul, whom the whole nation begged for, not contented with Me their true king (
1Sam 8:5,
1Sam 8:7,
1Sam 8:19-20;
1Sam 10:19), nor Jeroboam, whom subsequently the ten tribes chose instead of the line of David My anointed, can save thee now. They had expected from their kings what is the prerogative of God alone, namely, the power of saving them.
judges--including all civil authorities under the king (compare
Amos 2:3).
11 I gave . . . king in . . . anger . . . took . . . away in . . . wrath--true both of Saul (
1Sam 15:22-23;
1Sam 16:1) and of Jeroboam's line (
2Kgs 15:30). Pekah was taken away through Hoshea, as he himself took away Pekahiah; and as Hoshea was soon to be taken away by the Assyrian king.
12 bound up . . . hid--Treasures, meant to be kept, are bound up and hidden; that is, do not flatter yourselves, because of the delay, that I have forgotten your sin. Nay (
Hos 9:9), Ephraim's iniquity is kept as it were safely sealed up, until the due time comes for bringing it forth for punishment (
Deut 32:34;
Job 14:17;
Job 21:19; compare
Rom 2:5). Opposed to "blotting out the handwriting against" the sinner (
Col 2:14).
13 sorrows of a travailing woman--calamities sudden and agonizing (
Jer 30:6).
unwise--in not foreseeing the impending judgment, and averting it by penitence (
Pro 22:3).
he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children--When Israel might deliver himself from calamity by the pangs of penitence, he brings ruin on himself by so long deferring a new birth unto repentance, like a child whose mother has not strength to bring it forth, and which therefore remains so long in the passage from the womb as to run the risk of death (
2Kgs 19:3;
Isa 37:3;
Isa 66:9).
14 Applying primarily to God's restoration of Israel from Assyria partially, and, in times yet future, fully from all the lands of their present long-continued dispersion, and political death (compare
Hos 6:2;
Isa 25:8;
Isa 26:19;
Ezek 37:12). God's power and grace are magnified in quickening what to the eye of flesh seems dead and hopeless (
Rom 4:17,
Rom 4:19). As Israel's history, past and future, has a representative character in relation to the Church, this verse is expressed in language alluding to Messiah's (who is the ideal Israel) grand victory over the grave and death, the first-fruits of His own resurrection, the full harvest to come at the general resurrection; hence the similarity between this verse and Paul's language as to the latter (
1Cor 15:55). That similarity becomes more obvious by translating as the Septuagint, from which Paul plainly quotes; and as the same Hebrew word is translated in
Hos 13:10, "O death, where are thy plagues (paraphrased by the Septuagint, 'thy victory')? O grave, where is thy destruction (rendered by the Septuagint, 'thy sting')?" The question is that of one triumphing over a foe, once a cruel tyrant, but now robbed of all power to hurt.
repentance shall be hid from mine eyes--that is, I will not change My purpose of fulfilling My promise by delivering Israel, on the condition of their return to Me (compare
Hos 14:2-
Hos 14:8;
Num 23:19;
Rom 11:29).
15 fruitful--referring to the meaning of "Ephraim," from a Hebrew root, "to be fruitful" (
Gen 41:52). It was long the most numerous and flourishing of the tribes (
Gen 48:19).
wind of the Lord--that is, sent by the Lord (compare
Isa 40:7), who has His instruments of punishment always ready. The Assyrian, Shalmaneser, &c., is meant (
Jer 4:11;
Jer 18:17;
Ezek 19:12).
from the wilderness--that is, the desert part of Syria (
1Kgs 19:15), the route from Assyria into Israel.
he--the Assyrian invader. Shalmaneser began the siege of Samaria in 723 B.C. Its close was in 721 B.C., the first year of Sargon, who seems to have usurped the throne of Assyria while Shalmaneser was at the siege of Samaria. Hence, while
2Kgs 17:6 states, "the king of Assyria took Samaria,"
2Kgs 18:10 says, "at the end of three years they took it." In Sargon's magnificent palace at Khorsabad, inscriptions mention the number--27,280--of Israelites carried captive from Samaria and other places of Israel by the founder of the palace [G. V. SMITH].
16 This verse and
Hos 13:15 foretell the calamities about to befall Israel before her restoration (
Hos 13:14), owing to her impenitence.
her God--the greatest aggravation of her rebellion, that it was against her God (
Hos 13:4).
infants . . . dashed in pieces, &c.-- (
2Kgs 8:12;
2Kgs 15:16;
Amos 1:13).